Advantageous Appearances
by SilverTurtle
Summary: Frustrated by management, Melina makes a rash decision to try and draw more attention to herself. Gail witnesses the unexpected results.


**A/N:** This is the fic I came up with after Lody gave me a prompt. I like how it turned out, hopefully you will too.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own.

*****'*****

**ADVANTAGEOUS APPEARANCES**

"What are you doing?" Gail Kim asked as she walked into an unusual scene in the locker room.

"I'm tired of being ignored!" Melina said turning slightly crazed eyes on the shorter brunette, "I'm sick of not being given any ring time because I don't fit the mold of a top face. I want screen time, I want match time, I want a chance at that damned champion's belt! So I'm doing something about it."

"Yes, but this?" Gail said with a curled lip, her disdain obvious, "Don't you think this is taking it a step too far?"

"No," Melina answered bluntly, "They want a blonde to be their top wrestler; I'll show them a damned good blonde wrestler!" The bag covering Melina's head adhered to the hair beneath and spilled the noxious fumes of the hair dye into the air. "In just ten more minutes I will finally be eligible to take the belt, all thanks to this." She held up the box the dye came in and caressed it lovingly, creeping Gail out.

"This is a bad idea," Gail stated. She knew that typically the blondes in the business were given more screen time, more matches, and more chances at the title belts regardless of their level of talent (which in many cases was absolutely none) but this was not the solution that would fix anything. This would just perpetuate the idea that only blondes could make it in women's wrestling, and Gail found that offensive and ridiculous. She, Victoria, Layla, and Melina were some of the top ring workers in the business and all of them were brunettes (well, only most now) and they got plenty of match time for being in the women's division. The problem was that women's wrestling as a whole got shafted in favor of the men's activities.

"Think what you want," Melina said, she brandished the box in Gail's direction, "But this is my ticket to notoriety!"

Gail just shook her head and started showering and changing into regular clothes.

***'***

Fifteen minutes later found Gail ready to go but waiting on Melina to see how her experiment turned out.

Suddenly there was a howl from the back of the room, where the showers and mirrors were. Gail sped there to see what prompted that noise from her friend.

When she saw what was wrong she nearly burst a lung to keep from laughing.

Melina stood, dressed, growling in front of the mirror as she handled her hair which had turned out a mottled burnt orange color instead of the vibrant blonde advertised on the package.

"This looks terrible!" Melina cried. She picked up the dye box and crushed it between her hands. "What am I going to do? I have a match tomorrow night! I can't show up looking like this!"

Gail repressed her impulse to laugh hysterically and calmly said, "I told you this was a bad idea."

Melina shot Gail a glare and flipped her the bird, "Yeah, yeah. You were right. Whatever. How do I fix it?"

Gail rolled her eyes, "You re-dye it."

"I can't do that!" exclaimed Melina, "I have to wait at least 24 hours or all my hair will fall out."

"Well, it's either that or shave your head," Gail pointed out reasonably, "Your pick."

Melina let out a loud groan of frustration, her hands fisting into her hair and tugging. "Shit."

Gail shook her head and took her leave thinking Melina would have to figure this out on her own.

***'***

The next night Gail was in the stands as a spectator when Melina's name was announced.

Melina came out with bare scalp gleaming and baring her teeth in a vicious snarl.

Tiffany, Melina's opponent for that night, was visibly shaken as she stood with wide eyes and stiff posture.

Gail grinned. The crowd was going wild over Melina's new look. The startled announcers quickly took to it as well when Melina's fierce eyes landed on them.

Melina climbed into the ring and paced like a feral tiger around Tiffany and the ring official instead of posing like she normally would. The official got her to stand still long enough to start the match, but that was all. As soon as they were given the go ahead Melina was on Tiffany like a vengeful god and throwing the bewildered blonde around like she was a rag doll.

Tiffany, to her credit, managed to regain her head and her footing after Melina threw her around. She even managed to get in a good clothesline, a flying crossbody, and a near pin before Melina rallied and kicked out.

Then it was all about Melina dominating Tiffany. It was obvious the now bald Latina was dragging things out, working out some frustrations by beating up on Tiffany. Tiffany took the beating remarkably well, always getting to her feet and attempting retaliations, but eventually Melina pulled out her signature moves. She dropped Tiffany with her _Extreme Makeover_ and locked her up in the _California Dream_ and kept bending back until Tiffany was forced to tap out or risk serious injury.

When Melina rose she roared out her victory to the crowd who ate it up. Then, looking very much like the tiger she'd seemed like before, she stalked back into the locker rooms.

***'***

Gail made her way back into the locker rooms and found Melina.

"Impressive match, baldy."

Melina looked up sharply and flipped Gail off. "Yeah, Tiff can really take a beating," she snidely replied.

Gail grinned, "Loving the new look."

Melina rubbed a hand over her skull and huffed, "I couldn't re-dye it and I'd be damned before I'd go out there looking the way I did."

"You could have used a mask for tonight," she pointed out unhelpfully, which she realized as Melina's eyes suddenly blazed and her mouth set in a frown.

"Why didn't you suggest that last night?" Melina asked through her teeth, her voice tight and fists clenching.

Gail shrugged, feigning nonchalance, "Didn't think of it." To save her skin she hastened to add, "But this works for you. Very intimidating. At least, it is as long as no one knows why it happened."

"Which is why," Melina said, "You will never _ever_ say a word about me trying to go blonde. It was a mistake even thinking up a ridiculous plan like that."

Gail privately agreed to keep quiet about the botched dye job, but couldn't resist saying once more, "I told you so."

Melina chased her out of the locker room and Gail laughed the whole way.

**THE END**

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**A/N:** Please review.


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